Heika: First round pick Valeri Nichushkin is 'perfect' for the Stars

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10 THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT VALERI NICHUSHKIN: The Stars might have gotten one of the steals of the draft when they landed enigmatic but extremely talented winger Valeri Nichushkin of Russia at No. 10. Want to learn more about the newest Star? Here are 10 things you should know...

Catch SportsDay On Air twice per week on Fox Sports Southwest, when Dallas Morning News experts discuss hot sports topics from the Cowboys, Mavericks, Stars, Rangers and colleges (check our TV listings for air times). Here are a few highlights from Monday's episode featuring Kevin Sherrington and Mike Heika:

On the Stars’ draft class:

Heika: “I think it fell exactly the way they wanted it to. I think the way it turned out, the guy that fell to them is a guy that’s perfect for them, and that’s Valeri Nichushkin. He’s a Russian player. He dropped to No. 10. His talent says he’s a top five player. But there is the element of we have to deal with the KHL. We have to deal with the fact that the contract is there. He was already under contract. He had to get let out of his contract. If he doesn’t play in the NHL, he’ll want to go back to the KHL so there is just a lot of issues there with this player. But Jim Nill has been through it.”

Sherrington: “I don’t know much about Jim Nill other than his background, his pedigree. Everybody says he’s the smartest guy in the NHL. If he’s anywhere close, if he’s in the top five, I think that’s pretty good for the Stars. I think this is a good place to start. A guy as smart as him is not going to take a chance on a guy with that pick if he didn’t think he could do it. That’s the key for me. You don’t gamble on the 10 pick of the first round unless you really think you’re going to get him.”

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